How have you been observing Advent this year?
Have you started your Christmas celebrations yet?
Do you have a favorite Christmas movie?
Have you had any Christmas parties yet, with family, or at work, or with friends?
This week is our Christmas party for Jesus at Marion Mennonite. This Sunday we will celebrate with singing, giving, hearing a choir, enjoying a Christmas play, and a few other exciting things.
If you are wondering about the theme for this Sunday, it is, Do not be afraid.
We will have a short meditation that is focusing on Matthew 1:18-25…
18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23 “Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means, “God is with us.” 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had given birth to a son, and he named him Jesus.
What in this story would cause you to be fearful?
What causes fear in your life?
What do you do to calm the fear you have?
Let’s talk about it on Sunday.
Everyone is invited to the Marion Christmas party. No white elephant gift needed.
~ Pastor Dustin
